Parliamentary Secretary Poissant continues regional sessions on A Food Policy for Canada in Saint-Hyacinthe, Quebec

August 16, 2017 – Saint-Hyacinthe, Quebec – Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada

A A Food Policy for Canada will set a long-term vision for the country’s health, environmental, social, and economic goals related to food, while also identifying actions that can be taken in the short-term to improve Canada’s food system.

Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, Jean-Claude Poissant, participated in a regional engagement session today in Saint-Hyacinthe, Quebec, as part of the ongoing consultations regarding the development of A Food Policy for Canada.

Stakeholders, Indigenous representatives, experts, and key policy makers were invited to take part in the session, which is part of a series being held across the country over the next two months. Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, Lawrence MacAulay, opened the first regional session which took place in Charlottetown on August 9.

Public consultations on A Food Policy for Canada began on May 29, 2017, with the launch of an online survey that asks Canadians for their input on food issues related to:

• increasing access to affordable food;
• improving health and food safety;
• conserving our soil, water, and air; and
• growing more high-quality food.

Due to a strong response from across the country, the comment period for the online survey has been extended to August 31, 2017.

Quotes

“Today we are continuing to engage with Canadians about a subject that is of great importance – their food. As the Government of Canada works to develop A Food Policy for Canada, we understand the importance of hearing from a broad range of voices – stakeholders, experts, producers, farmers, ranchers, as well as everyday Canadians. We want to build a food policy that reflects the richness and diversity of our country.”

– Jean-Claude Poissant, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food

Quick Facts

• The Government of Canada has already heard from more than 30,000 Canadians through the online survey.
• A food policy is a way to address issues related to the production, processing, distribution, and consumption of food. A Food Policy for Canada will cover all food sources, including primary agriculture, fisheries, aquaculture, and processing.
• A Food Policy Summit took place on June 22-23, 2017, that brought together over 250 participants with diverse expertise and experience to discuss a broad range of food-related issues.

Associated Links

• A Food Policy for Canada

Contacts

Guy Gallant
Director of Communications
Office of the Honourable Lawrence MacAulay
613-773-1059

Media Relations
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
Ottawa, Ontario
613-773-7972
1-866-345-7972

NT5